宗鏡錄 86.15

86.15

答。如彼中品人。此則是中而非道。如彼三乘人道。此即是道而非中。如彼菩薩道。此即亦中亦是道。如彼外道道。此即非中又非道。今言中道者。即菩薩道。離中無別道。離道無別中。即以道為中。即以中為道。此之中義。即是一心。道。即是心。心即是道。以真心遍一切處故。所以云一色一香。無非中道。前辯所見不同。故論得失。若入宗鏡。則泯同平等。三乘五性。若內若外。無非一心中道矣。又中道者。以一真心不住有無一邊。故稱中道。若言其有。相不可尋。若言其無。性不可易。所以菩薩以行契理。觀一切法。雙遮雙照。雙亡雙流。台教明雙亡正入。常冥中道。無心亡照。任運寂知。雙亡即亡空亡假。故名為寂。正入只是入中。故名為照。而亡而照。故曰雙流。遮流約智用。亡照約智體。無心釋智體。智體成就。不須作意念念忘照。而常任運。而寂而知。寂即是亡。知即是照。又能所雙寂。故曰雙亡。門理歷然。稱為正入。正入則理無不契。雙亡則相無不寂。斯即不住空有。遮照分明。不滯二邊。方成正入。肇論云。有心者。眾庶是也。無心者。太虛是也。眾庶處於妄想。太虛絕於靈照。不可以處妄想。絕靈照。而語聖心乎。故須遮照無滯。體用自在。方成理行之門。華嚴經云。菩薩住是不思議。於中思議。不可盡。住是不可思議地。思與非思俱寂滅。若唯遮思議境者。則凡聖絕分。故非但遮常心。亦應融常心。是則於中思議不可盡。遮融無二。則思與非思。體俱寂滅。方曰真不思議也。是則遮照無滯。理事不虧。即遮而照故。雙非即是雙行。即照而遮故。雙行即是雙遣。不壞本而常末。萬行紛然。不壞末而常本。一心恒寂。所以色塵體寂。香界性空。執作有無之邊邪。達成唯心之中理。法法皆圓願海。塵塵盡具行門。應念而六度咸成。目擊而真心普遍。如無盡意菩薩經云。普賢。如來國土。彼諸菩薩當見佛時。尋能分別諸深妙義。具足成就。六波羅蜜。何以故。若不取色相。即是具足檀波羅蜜。若除色相。即是具足尸波羅蜜。若觀色盡。即是具足羼提波羅蜜。若見色寂滅。即是具足毘梨波羅蜜。若不行色相。即是具足禪波羅蜜。若不戲論色相。即是具足般若波羅蜜。是諸菩薩。即觀佛時。尋具如是六波羅蜜得無生忍。

Answer: Like a person of medium capacity: this is the middle and not the path. Like the path of people of the triyāna: this is the path and not the middle. Like the bodhisattva path: this is both the middle and the path. Like the path of non-Buddhists: this is neither the middle nor the path. What is now called the 'Middle Way' is the bodhisattva path. Apart from the middle, there is no other path; apart from the path, there is no other middle. The path is taken as the middle; the middle is taken as the path. This meaning of 'middle' is precisely the one mind. The path is precisely the mind; the mind is precisely the path. Because the true mind pervades all places, it is said: 'A single color, a single scent—none is not the Middle Way.' The earlier distinctions concerned differences in perspective, hence discussing gain and loss. If one enters the mirror of the source, they are obliterated into equality: the triyāna and five natures, whether internal or external, are none other than the Middle Way of the one mind. Furthermore, regarding the 'Middle Way': because the one true mind does not abide in either side of existence or non-existence, it is called the Middle Way. If you say it exists, its characteristics cannot be sought; if you say it is non-existent, its nature cannot be altered. Therefore, the bodhisattva accords with the principle through practice, contemplating all dharmas: double negation and double illumination, double cessation and double flowing. The Tiantai teachings explain that by double cessation there is correct entry, always darkling-merged with the Middle Way; mind-free, cessation and illumination [occur], naturally quiescent and aware. Double cessation means ceasing both emptiness and the provisional, hence it is called 'quiescent.' Correct entry is simply entering the middle, hence it is called 'illumination.' Ceasing yet illuminating, it is called 'double flowing.' Negation and flowing pertain to the function of wisdom; cessation and illumination pertain to the substance of wisdom. Mind-free explains the substance of wisdom: when the substance of wisdom is accomplished, one does not need to exert intention moment by moment to forget and illuminate, but is always spontaneous, both quiescent and aware. Quiescence is cessation; awareness is illumination. Furthermore, both subject and object are quiescent, hence it is called 'double cessation.' The principles of the approach are distinct and clear, termed 'correct entry.' When there is correct entry, there is no principle not accorded with; when there is double cessation, there is no characteristic not tranquil. This is not abiding in emptiness or existence, with negation and illumination distinct; not stagnating in the two extremes, only then is correct entry accomplished. The Zhao lun says: 'Those with mind are the common multitudes; that which is without mind is great space. The common multitudes dwell in false discrimination; great space is devoid of numinous illumination. How could one speak of the sage's mind either by dwelling in false discrimination or by being devoid of numinous illumination?' Therefore, negation and illumination must be free from stagnation, and substance and function must be unimpeded; only then is the approach of principle and practice established. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'The bodhisattva abides in this inconceivable; within it, thoughts are inexhaustible. Abiding in this inconceivable stage, both thought and non-thought are entirely extinguished.' If one were merely to negate the domain of thought, then ordinary beings and sages would be completely sundered. Therefore, one does not merely negate the ordinary mind, but must also harmonize the ordinary mind; thus within it, thoughts are inexhaustible. Negation and harmonization are non-dual; then thought and non-thought are both extinguished in substance. Only then is it called truly inconceivable. Thus negation and illumination are free from stagnation, and principle and phenomena are not diminished. Because illumination is present right in negation, the double negation is precisely the double operation; because negation is present right in illumination, the double operation is precisely the double dismissal. Without destroying the fundamental, it is constantly the derivative: the ten thousand practices proliferate. Without destroying the derivative, it is constantly the fundamental: the one mind is ever quiescent. Therefore, the substance of the dust of form is quiescent; the nature of the realm of scent is empty. Grasping them creates the extreme evils of existence and non-existence; realizing them accomplishes the middle principle of mind-only. Every dharma completely fulfills the ocean of vows; every speck of dust fully possesses the approaches of practice. In response to a single thought, the six pāramitās are all fulfilled; before one's very eyes, the true mind is universally present. As the Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra says: 'Samantabhadra, in the Tathāgata's land, when those bodhisattvas see the Buddha, they can immediately distinguish all profound and subtle meanings, fully accomplishing the six pāramitās. Why is this? If one does not grasp characteristics of form, this is the full accomplishment of the dāna-pāramitā. If one eliminates characteristics of form, this is the full accomplishment of the śīla-pāramitā. If one contemplates the exhaustion of form, this is the full accomplishment of the kṣānti-pāramitā. If one sees the quiescence of form, this is the full accomplishment of the vīrya-pāramitā. If one does not practice characteristics of form, this is the full accomplishment of the dhyāna-pāramitā. If one does not engage in conceptual proliferation regarding characteristics of form, this is the full accomplishment of the prajñā-pāramitā. When these bodhisattvas contemplate the Buddha, they immediately possess such six pāramitās and attain anutpattikadharmakṣānti.'